Let’s begin with the relatively old player against the Punch, the Maruti Suzuki Ignis. When this hatchback made its debut in the Indian market in 2017, it became one of the best Maruti Suzuki cars in India. For reference, the Ignis is a replacement for the outgoing Maruti Suzuki Ritz. And as for its underpinnings, the Ignis shares the HEARTECT A platform with the Maruti Suzuki Celerio and Maruti’s famous tall boy, the WagonR. On the other hand, the Tata Punch set foot in the market as a “micro- SUV.” As per some sources, the Punch can also be punchy when it comes to off-roading, but keep in mind that it can only do mild off-roading as it gets “Traction Pro” in Tata’s lingo. This feature works on the principle of the Differential Lock, but it’s not the same. However, in the past few months, the Tata Punch has been able to set a benchmark in its segment like other Tata cars in India. So, if you are planning either of the small cars and don’t want to scratch your head any further, this blog might come in handy. Let’s continue weighing!
Specifications
As for the Maruti Suzuki Ignis specifications, underneath, there is a 1.2-litre petrol engine that draws out 81bhp and 113Nm of torque. It sends power to the front wheels via a standard 5-speed manual transmission and an optional 5-speed AMT gearbox.
On the contrary, the engine the Tata Altroz gets is the same as the Tata Punch. It’s a 1.2-litre petrol mill that produces 85bhp and 113Nm of torque to the front wheels via a 5-speed manual transmission as standard and an optional 5-speed AMT. For information on the driveability of this micro-SUV, check out the Tata Punch review. Also, go through the comparison test done on the Tata Punch and its closest family member, the Tata Altroz, on the autoX website.
As far as the fuel economy is concerned, the Tata Punch’s mileage ranges between 18.82kmpl and 18.97kmpl, depending upon the engine and transmission combination. And the Maruti Suzuki Ignis’s mileage is 20.89 kmpl. Please note that those are ARAI-claimed figures tested in ARAI’s controlled environment. Real-life mileage may vary from the claimed figures.
In terms of the suspension setup done on these two cars, they are pretty much similar in that respect.
At the front, the Tata Punch has an independent, lower wishbone, McPherson strut with a coil spring. At the rear, the car gets a semi-independent twist-beam with coil spring and shock absorber suspension.
On the Ignis, the front suspension is the same as the Tata Punch, while the rear has a torsion beam suspension. Both vehicles have more or less the same suspension tuning, and that too, according to the Indian roads. However, the Maruti Suzuki Ignis’s suspension is slightly on the softer side compared to the Tata Punch. And, if you drive the Punch around the curves, it won’t make you complain about anything, despite having a boxy car with high ground clearance.
Similarly, if you go over 100km/h on the highway in the Tata Punch, the micro-SUV won’t make itself nervous.
Features
As far as the features are concerned, the Tata Punch has a long list of them. It has cruise control, a glove box cooling system, smart entry, front USB ports, an anti-glare IRVM, and a 90-degree door opening, to name a few. It also has two driving modes. In addition, the Punch has a rain-sensing wiper, auto headlamps, a rear window washer, etc. For entertainment, there is a 7-inch Harman-sourced floating touchscreen infotainment unit with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. Moreover, there is also connected car technology.
The Maruti Ignis, on the other hand, has those features that the Tata Punch misses, such as an adjustable headrest, a navigation system, 60:40 split seats, a rear spoiler, etc. However, the size of the entertainment screen is the same as the Tata Punch, a 7-inch touchscreen infotainment unit with navigation and live traffic updates.
As for safety features, both cars get dual airbags, ABS with EBD, and so on. The Tata Punch has extra safety features such as brake sway control, IAC+ISS technology, AA/ACP, and more. However, the Maruti Suzuki Ignis misses out on those. Besides that, in terms of build quality, the Tata Punch has a much better build quality than the Maruti Suzuki Ignis. The Punch is the third offering to secure a five-star safety rating among new-age Tata cars in India.
The Global NCAP awarded five stars to the Tata Punch’s safety rating. And the Maruti Suzuki Ignis’s safety rating is three-star.
It is also worth mentioning that the build quality of a vehicle matters more than its safety features. A car with good quality and two airbags would be able to protect the passengers efficiently compared to a car with six airbags and poor build quality.
Prices and Variants
The Tata Punch has four broad trims: Pure, Adventure, Accomplished, and Creative. The Kaziranga edition is exclusive to the Creative trim. Furthermore, those trims total up to twenty-two variants.
As for the Tata Punch price, it starts at Rs 5.93 lakh for the base model, the Punch Pure, and it goes up to Rs 9.49 lakh for the top-of-the-line, the Kaziranga Edition AMT IRA.
On the contrary, the Maruti Suzuki Ignis also has four trims: Sigma, Delta, Zeta, and Alpha. Furthermore, they make up seven variants. The starting price of the 2022 Maruti Suzuki Ignis is Rs 5.35 lakh for the base model, the Ignis Sigma. And it goes up to Rs 7.72 lakh for the top model, the Ignis Alpha AMT.
Please note that these are ex-showroom prices in Delhi as of September 2022. It is also worth noting that all carmakers have the right to revise the ex-showroom prices and add or cut down on features without prior notice. But don’t worry, that is why autoX is here to bring you the latest price list. Alongside that, don’t forget to explore the “check on-road price” section under the “cars” category.
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